More Than Friends?
by MissAmyR92
Summary: Here's a pairing I haven't written before, I hope you like it. Contains slash references. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**More Than Friends?**

**Me again! Here's a pairing I haven't tried before, but I hope you like it. Please read and review, whatever your thoughts are. Amy x**

"I haven't seen you for ages Luce! Not since..."

"Hey, don't get upset babe. Dad's letting me have a day off from being his slave on Saturday; we can hang out then if you want?"

"Seriously? I don't care what my mum says, I'm coming! She cares more about Abi anyway...so I'll meet you at yours on Saturday then?"

"Yeah, I was thinking we could go bowling and shopping or something?"

"Sounds wicked. I'll be there at about half eleven, is that ok?" Lauren's insides leapt with excitement.

"Yeah that's cool. See you then babe!" The thought of spending time with her best friend made Lucy smile.

"Oh Luce?"

"Yeah?"

"You know what you were saying about that Leon guy...?"

There was a slight pause as Lucy reflected on the boy whom she thought loved her.

"What about him? We are well finished. He likes that slag Zsa Zsa anyway."

"Oh right. It's just I saw your status on Facebook about him..."

"Oh that, that was nothing."

"You know you can tell me anything Lucy, come on what is it?"

Both teenagers went silent for a moment. Both lost in their, very different, thoughts.

"Alright...well yeah I still like him, he's really fit and I thought he liked me too. I've never felt the way I felt about him before. "Lucy sighed.

"Oh...I don't know what to say..." Lauren was certain she could feel her heart fall into her stomach, for reasons she didn't even understand.

"Anyway, that's enough of me blabbering on. Half eleven on Saturday, yeah?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then." Lauren smiled, although Lucy couldn't see.

"See ya babe."

The young brunette Branning hit the 'End Call' key on her phone, feeling incredibly excited at the prospect of seeing her best friend again in just a couple of days. But for some reason she also felt a twinge of jealousy when Lucy spoke about Leon. Why did she feel envious of her closest mate? The way the blonde Beale called her 'babe' gave her an unexplainable feeling; her heart fluttered, her stomach churned like a washing machine and she felt strangely warm inside. Lauren wished she understood how, and why, she felt so...confused.

As soon as the call with Lucy had finished, she felt rather lost and empty. If she was really honest with herself, she missed seeing her friend on a regular basis. She was so used to seeing Lucy every day; they walked to school and back together, were always round each other's houses. She strangely even missed hearing her blonde buddy's voice, seeing her smile, hearing her laugh.

Occasionally, Lauren would wake in the middle of the night feeling so lonely and would have to fight the urge to dial Lucy's number. She tried to think of a reason as to why she desperately wanted to talk to and feel close to the bubbly blonde twenty four seven but the truth was, she just didn't know.

Lauren's world had been tipped upside down recently. There had been so many changes that she had been expected to just accept. All of these changes with her family and home life had taken over her life lately. She began to wonder; perhaps all of these things had disguised her feelings for something, someone, else? Maybe she had recognised the way she was feeling but chose to ignore it? Whatever was happening to her, Lauren wasn't ready to face it yet.

**What do you think? Should I continue this? All thoughts, whether they're good or not so good, are appreciated. x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two for you. I hope you like it. Thank you PrincessHanHan, Katieee x and tsuihoukami for your kind reviews. Enjoy!**

**P.S This chapter's written from Lucy's POV.**

Saturday finally arrived after what felt like months of waiting. Lucy woke up extraordinarily earlier than her usual standards as for some reason, she felt too excited at the thought of seeing her best mate to sleep.

The young blonde flung open her chaotic wardrobe, flicking through the rail as she tried to decide what to wear. The weather was beautiful, especially for Walford, so she considered a summery floral top with cropped jeans and gladiator sandals. Then she thought, 'what if Lauren wears something completely different and I look like an idiot?' She couldn't bear the thought of her closest friend thinking she looked ridiculous. After around half an hour of trying to make a decision, she called her friend for some advice.

"Hey Lucy! You ok?" The blonde found herself smiling when Lauren answered.

"Yeah I'm good thanks, we still on for today?"

"Yeah course! Wouldn't miss it for the world." Lucy smiled again.

"Wicked. What are you wearing?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing!" Both girls laughed a little at how in sync they were. "I was thinking of going for a vest top, jeans and maybe flip flops, what do you think?"

Lucy couldn't believe how similar their clothing choices for the day were. "That's pretty close to what I was thinking of wearing, this is getting a bit freaky now!" The young blonde acted like she found the situation odd; instead she secretly felt an inexplicable warm rush of happiness.

"No way!" Lauren replied. "Is half eleven still alright?"

Lucy glanced over at the clock which read 9.30am. She sighed as she realised she'd have to wait another two long hours until she could see her best friend again.

"I can get there for half ten if you want, or later if that's better, whatever's cool with you." The brunette answered, as if reading her friend's mind.

"Half ten would be good, means we get to spend longer at the shops." Lucy tried to justify why she wanted to see her best mate sooner when in fact the real reason was that she just wanted to spend longer in Lauren's company.

"Yeah cool. So I'll be at yours at half ten then?"

"Yeah see you soon."

The blonde teen found herself not wanting to press the 'disconnect' button on her phone, it made her feel as if she was shutting the door on her friend. Lucy knew in reality that this wasn't the case but the thought made her feel strangely upset nonetheless. As soon as the call had ended, she missed her friend's voice, the way she laughed, the way she always seemed to know what Lucy was thinking. Even know it was now less than an hour until Lauren would be standing on the doorstep, Lucy felt as if it was a lifetime away. Lucy was stunned at how desperately she wanted, needed, to see her closest friend.

In an attempt to take her mind off the time, which seemed to be ticking by far slower than usual, Lucy changed into the summery outfit which she'd chosen beforehand. Once dressed, she turned to the mirror, continuously checking that she looked okay. The teen took her time straightening and styling her blonde locks until they looked faultless. She then proceeded to apply her make up; foundation, mascara, eyeliner and then lastly lip gloss, until she felt her looks had been perfected. Lucy took a step back away from the mirror and examined her reflection from every possible angle. She made the effort to pose in several positions, making sure she still looked decent however she stood. After the blonde decided she was completely happy with her look, she made her way down the stairs to the Beale's living room.

Lucy almost hoped there would be one of her relatives in the living room to keep her company but she was a little disheartened to discover that she was the only one home. The clock still only read 10am; she had yet another long thirty minutes to wait. To try to pass the time, Lucy flicked through the daytime rubbish on the television, scoured the kitchen cupboards for something decent to eat, and sorted through her mass of junk emails, before finally coming to rest on the sofa with her phone in her palm, hoping Lauren would arrive soon.

As if Lauren had again read her mind, Lucy's phone began to vibrate and the screen lit up with her best friend's name.

"Lauren!" Lucy exclaimed, possibly a little too over excitedly.

"Hey Luce. Just to let you know I'm at the station now so I'll be there a bit early, is that alright? I can wait in the cafe if you're not ready yet."

"No! I mean, that's fine. You're lucky I'm ready." Lucy smiled although no one could see.

"Great! I'll be there in...about ten minutes?"

"Cool, see you soon babe." Lucy's thumb hovered over the 'disconnect' call key once again, but luckily for her Lauren hung up first.

Lucy suddenly switched into panic mode as Lauren's arrival drew closer. She double checked her reflection in the mirror, ensuring that not one hair was out of place. She hurriedly grabbed her handbag, checking that she had everything she needed for her day out with her best friend. She even took her phone out of her pocket to check Lauren hadn't tried to contact her again, even though she would have heard it ring if she had.

Once satisfied that she was ready to go, Lucy sat back down on the Beale's sofa, pretending to act calm and casual, until the doorbell rang a few seconds later...

The blonde shot out of her seat, wanting to run to the front door and give her friend the biggest hug in history. Reminding herself she needed to act slightly more casual, Lucy paused for a couple of seconds before walking to the door.

She gasped and took a step back as she saw who was standing on the doorstep.

**So who's turned up at the Beale's house? I hope you liked this chapter, please review and let me know who you think it is!**


	3. Chapter 3

"Hi Luce." The figure on the doorstep received no response from the stunned blonde so decided to continue.

"Can I come in?"

Lucy didn't reply, instead she took a step back from the door, holding it open so her guest could enter the house before closing it behind them.

"What are you doing here?" The teen spoke for the first time since her guest's impromptu arrival.

"Nice to see you too. I was hoping we could talk?"

"Talk about what, Leon? We're finished, okay? Over. Have you got that?" Lucy responded a little harsher than she'd anticipated.

"Alright, calm down, yeah? A lot has happened between us Luce, you know with the baby and that..." Leon trailed off, unsure how to finish his sentence whilst the blonde girl bowed her head, suddenly finding the floor interesting.

"That's all in the past. Can we just forget it, please?" Lucy closed her eyes momentarily and pursed her lips, trying to block the bad memories out of her mind.

"Just hear me out. I'm sorry for everything that happened. I know I should have been more supportive and I've only got myself to blame for the way things turned out. I want to move on, same as you, but I don't want to leave things on bad terms." Leon's honesty made Lucy's heart flutter a little, shocking and confusing her. Was she still suppressing feelings for him? Not that she would ever admit that.

"I bet Zsa Zsa doesn't know you're here." The blonde replied. She could almost taste the spitefulness she was giving out.

"No she doesn't. I don't care if she finds out either. I'm here to try and make amends; I'd like us to be mates, if that's ok with you? I really like you as a friend, Lucy. And Peter as well. I'd like to be mates with you both." Leon dished out his inadvertent ultimatum; Lucy had the choice of accepting his apology and moving on as friends, or she could reject his offer and remain bitter towards him.

Taking a while to smooth things over in her mind, Lucy eventually came to a decision. Without saying a word, she put her hand out to Leon to form a handshake. Her ex smiled, shaking the blonde's hand with a smile.

"Thank you. Take care, Lucy." The tall boy exited the room, seeing himself out. As he reached for the door, someone knocked the other side.

Leon opened the door to see a young, brunette girl, around the same age as Lucy, on the doorstep.

Lauren took a step back and raised her eyebrows, perplexed. She'd never seen this guy before, what was he doing in Lucy's house? She wondered, feeling a tinge of jealously in the pit of her stomach.

"Is Lucy in?" She found herself asking the handsome stranger.

"And you are?" Leon answered, perhaps a little rudely.

"I'm her best mate. Who are you?" The brunette retaliated, becoming increasingly annoyed with Leon.

"You two obviously aren't as close mates as you thought, or you'd know who I was." Leon almost spat back at the young girl, making his way past her and out of the Beale household.

Lauren was left standing on the doorstep, confused. Lucy had been listening to the entire conversation between Lauren and Leon as she hid out of view in the living room. She bit her thumb nail nervously, knowing she would have to answer a lot of questions which her friend was bound to fire at her.

Biting the bullet, the blonde cautiously walked through the hallway, spying her friend looking upset on the step.

"Who was he?" Lauren asked, beginning the bombardment of questions Lucy was waiting for and dismissing the usual greeting.

"Leon."

"What? I thought you two were finished?" The brunette teen let herself in and closed the door behind her, dumping her bag carelessly on the lino floor. She was surprised at how envious she felt, just by hearing the boy's name.

"We are. " The blonde made her way back into the lonely living room, plonking herself down on the inviting sofa with her feet curled underneath her. Her thumb remained in her mouth as she went over what had just happened with her ex. Seeing him again, the way he spoke so openly and honestly, allowed feelings which she thought had passed to rear their ugly head. Although Leon was now seeing someone else, she couldn't help but consider the thought of them being a couple again. Did she want to be with him once again? Lucy wasn't sure. The only thing she was sure of was that she was confused as hell.

The blonde's thoughts were interrupted by her friend taking the seat next to her on the sofa.

"What's going on Luce? I thought we were mates." Lauren could feel unexplainable tears welling in her eyes.

"We are." Lucy turned towards her friend, shocked to see her brown orbs filled with tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks at any moment.

"Hey, we are mates, best mates, I swear." The blonde felt a pang of sadness as she realised how put out she had made her friend feel without meaning to.

As tears continued to rapidly fall down Lauren's face, Lucy pulled her in for a hug, shocking the emotional Lauren. She reciprocated the hug by wrapping her arms tightly around her friend, relishing the feel of the blonde's body so close to her own. As the two girls remained in their embrace for a couple of minutes, two sets of very different thoughts rushed through the teens' heads.

Lucy felt ashamed of herself. She had neglected Lauren's friendship lately and had been putting boys, Leon in particular, first. The blonde had almost forgotten what her closest friend was going through at the moment; her parents splitting up, her mum finding another man, as well as moving out of the square that she had called home. Lucy realised that her own problems were insignificant compared to the brunette's. Making a mental note to be a better friend to Lauren, Lucy hugged her friend even tighter.

Lauren was so stunned by her friend's embrace; she almost forgot to breathe for a second. She and Lucy had briefly hugged before, when saying goodbye for example, but nothing like this. The Branning brunette could feel her heart pumping so hard in her chest that she thought it might explode. She felt so comfortable and natural in the position they had adopted, nestling deep into Lucy's curves as the blonde held her closer. Lauren felt as if she were protected from all harm whilst her friend's arms were wrapped so firmly around her. The love she had for her best friend, plus the huge smile adorning her tear stained face, were so inexplicable, yet so beautiful, Lauren wished she could stay in that position forever.

**Will Lauren realise the feelings she's having for Lucy are more than friendship? Will Lucy change her mind about Leon and try to win him back? Please read and review, all views really are appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks again to everyone who has read this; I hope you continue to enjoy it. This chapter is for my best friend PrincessHanHan, I hope you like it x**

"I've been a rubbish best mate, I'm sorry." Lucy said almost in a whisper, her arms still holding her Lauren tightly.

"Forget about it Luce, you're here for me now and that's all that matters." The brunette fiercely wiped away the few stray tears rolling down her cheeks with the back of her hand.

The blonde couldn't help but smile. She found it hard to believe that Lauren would accept her apology, despite how awful a friend she'd been over the past few months. Lucy was certain that the majority of friendships would have fallen apart for those in similar circumstances which confirmed that Lauren, and the relationship they shared, are really something special. Absentmindedly, the blonde placed a tender kiss on her friend's head.

Lauren's breathing halted. Had Lucy really just kissed her? So it wasn't on the lips or anything but a kiss is a kiss, right? She altered her position so she was facing her friend, looking her directly in the eye for the first time since her visit.

"What was that for?" The brunette breathed unexpectedly, the words tumbling out of her mouth before she had the chance to control them.

"What?" Lucy answered, acting as if the kiss was a normal occurrence for the two girls.

"You kissed me." Lauren simply stated.

"Only on the head, Lauren. Don't worry, I'm not gonna pounce on you or anything!" The blonde laughed, desperate to lighten the mood and cut through the tense atmosphere that had been built.

The brunette Branning responded with a slight laugh, one which didn't reach the eyes nor come from the heart.

"So," The blonde shifted herself from underneath her friend, standing in front of Lauren arms akimbo. "Are we going shopping or what?"

"Yeah, sure. Can I use your loo first though?"

"Course you can babe. See you in a minute, yeah?" Lucy smiled, donning her denim jacket as her friend disappeared upstairs.

Lauren made her way to the Beale's bathroom, rapidly closing the door behind her. The real reason she asked to use the bathroom was to have a few minutes alone, to gather her wild thoughts. The young brunette perched on the edge of the bathtub, taking some much needed deep breaths. Lucy had just kissed her. Her best friend was just hugging her closely, which felt amazing in itself, but then she added a kiss into the equation. If Lauren was totally honest with herself, she knew that she'd been harbouring some strange feelings for her closest friend for some time, but she'd chosen to ignore them and push them to the back of her confused mind. Lucy planting that kiss on her head had simply confirmed the feelings which Lauren had expected had developed. She had a crush on Lucy, more than a crush; she was falling madly in love with her best friend.

Shaking her head, as if trying to remove these crazy thoughts, Lauren stood up. Grabbing some tissue, she removed all traces of tears before running her fingers casually through her brown locks. Once she had assured herself that she looked okay, she took one more deep breath then unlocked the door. Slowly making her way down the staircase, she found Lucy concentrating on the hallway mirror, perfecting her appearance. Lauren continued her journey downstairs, smiling to herself at just how in sync the two of them were.

Lucy took a step back from the mirror, facing Lauren.

"Ready?"

Lauren nodded, collecting her bag which she had tossed on the floor on her arrival and swinging it over her shoulder. Lucy held the front door open for her companion, locking it shut behind them both. The two girls smiled as the sun hit them, casting a shadow over Lucy's features, Lauren noted. She knew this was going to be a day to remember.


	5. Chapter 5

The duo decided to make the most of their time together by heading into Central London. The girls quickly grabbed the last two available seats on the busy Tube. Lucy found herself sat next to a large, middle-aged man who kept attempting to glance down her top, much to her friend's annoyance. Lauren was sat directly opposite the blonde, which she was secretly very pleased about, as it gave her an excuse to shamelessly look at Lucy, drinking in her beautiful features. From the silky blonde hairs on her head to her expertly painted toe nails, everything about Lucy Beale was pure perfection.

The girls exchanged an awkward smile and Lauren gave a slight laugh at how uncomfortable the situation was. Lucy noticed the brunette hadn't taken her eyes off of her since the journey began, not that she thought anything of it. They hadn't seen each other for quite a while so it was understandable that Lauren was savouring every moment they were spending together.

Waterloo was the next stop on the Tube's journey. The girls carefully manoeuvred towards the nearest door but as they came to a halt, the train threw the Branning brunette flying into her best friend.

"Woah, easy!" Lucy made a grab for her pal's hand to prevent her from falling. A spark of pure electricity fizzled at Lauren's fingertips, surging through her limbs and pumping through her veins as she caught her breath.

"Thanks." She mumbled as they exited the overcrowded carriage, fighting to justify to herself the powerful feeling she'd just experienced.

Linking arms through the bustling crowds, the teenagers made their way out of the station and on to a slightly less busy pathway.

"That was even more manic than I thought it'd be! You ok?" Lucy puffed, adjusting her bobbed hair as her normal heart rate returned.

"Yeah, fine." The petite brunette smiled, noticing how gorgeous her friend looked without even trying to.

"I was thinking. Instead of bowling, what do you think about grabbing some lunch, going shopping then maybe going on the Eye?"

"Sounds great." Lauren smiled; she'd always wanted to go on the London Eye but had never had the opportunity. Going on it with the girl she was falling in love with would make it even more special.

"Cool. Let's go and find somewhere for lunch then." Lucy expertly guided the pair of them through the lively London streets. The blonde stopped outside the local McDonalds, pausing to check her friend was happy with her decision, then led Lauren into the busy restaurant.

"That was great, thanks babe." The blonde said, wiping her hands on a napkin once she'd finished her meal.

"It's fine." Lauren replied with a smile, feeling that buying lunch was the least she could do.

"Ready to shop 'til you drop?"

"Absolutely!" At that moment in time, Lauren Branning couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be. Or anyone else she'd rather be with.

After a couple of hours of non-stop shopping, Lucy and Lauren were the owners of aching feet and less cash than they intended to spend. The result of a good retail therapy session, the girls concluded.

"I can't believe I spent so much in one shop – money and time! You didn't mind did you?" The blonde found a nearby bench and stretched her aching legs.

"Course not." If Lauren was honest, she wasn't too keen on the overly girly outfits in Topshop. But seeing the blonde Beale in her element, trailing through rails of clothes, made Lauren happy too.

"Are you ok?" Lucy turned to face her best friend, noting the distant expression on her face.

Lauren was oblivious to the fact that the teen had spoken, having become lost in her tangled thoughts.

"Lauren? Are you ok?" Lucy repeated.

"Hmm? Me? Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" The brunette snapped out of her reverie.

"You just seem a bit...pre-occupied I suppose."

"I'm fine, really." They shared a smile. Lucy wasn't satisfied with her friend's answer but she didn't want to push her so she just accepted it.

"You know you can talk to me anytime, about anything, don't you?"

Lauren really wished that was the case.

"Yeah course. Why?"

"Just checking you know, that's all."

A slightly awkward silence engulfed the air.

"Shall we er...head for the Eye?" The blonde teen didn't know if she'd done something wrong, but there was no doubting that there was something troubling her friend.

"Yeah, great." Lauren couldn't bear to look Lucy in the eye; instead she chose to fix a false smile on her face as she picked up her bag from the floor.

The girls headed towards the Southbank. Lucy was desperate to know if she'd upset her friend but didn't want to push her further away. Lauren also wanted to say something, something very different. As they gradually moved closer to the front of the ticket queue, the blonde spoke.

"I'll get these." She smiled, hoping the gift would act as a peace offering and heal the rift that had formed.

"You don't have to." The simple act made the brunette melt.

"I want to." Lucy stepped towards the counter without another word, buying the tickets.

The blonde's generosity was almost too much for the sensitive Lauren to bear.

Wordlessly, the teenagers joined the end of the queue for the popular attraction. Surprisingly, for a Saturday, the Eye was relatively quiet and the girls moved quickly forward to the front of the queue. The pair had the usual security checks as they waited and the uncomfortable silence that had fallen on them refused to shift.

"Hi girls!" The chirpy attendant greeted them.

"Hi." Lucy and Lauren spoke almost simultaneously, giving polite smiles.

"You're in luck. Seeing as it's so quiet at the moment, you two can have a pod to yourselves! Hop on!" The cheerful gentleman guided the girls to the nearest capsule and sealed the door behind them.

Lucy wandered around the pod, taking in the beautiful surroundings with a gasp. Lauren sat down on the wooden bench in the middle, closing her eyes. Her heart was beating so hard she was certain her shirt was moving with it. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Lucy; she was finding it physically impossible to concentrate on anything else. She'd hoped that the trip would be a welcome distraction; instead, being so close to the beautiful Beale without blurting out her true feelings was proving near impossible.

"You can see for miles from here, it's amazing. If I squint, I can just about see Peter trying to flirt with that girl he fancies from the year below." Lucy laughed, turning to face her friend when she didn't respond.

"What's wrong, Lauren? You haven't been yourself at all today babe." The blonde sat down next to the fragile looking girl, placing a hand on her bicep comfortingly.

The simple action was a step too far for Lauren, as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Hey, what's brought all this on?" Lucy pulled the brunette into a hug.

"I...I don't know." Lauren shakily replied.

"Something must be up; I thought we agreed you could tell me anything?"

"Yeah I know...it's just..." Lauren looked of the capsule as they neared the top, thinking how ironic it was to be in such a romantic place with the girl she loved.

"Just what?"

Lauren could feel the blonde's eyes boring into her, waiting to hear what was wrong. She stood up and leaned against the window of the capsule, breathing in as she admired the beautiful city below. She just couldn't face Lucy, she couldn't stand to see the stunning teen's face skewered with emotion, and worry, for her.

"I think I'm in love with you."


	6. Chapter 6

Lucy stood stock still.

"Sorry?" The blonde knew exactly what had just been said, but she was buying for time to get her head around the revelation. Those seven words had knocked her for six.

The brunette squeezed her eyes shut and repeated that simple sentence.

"I said...I think I'm in love with you."

Lauren slowly opened her eyes, expecting to be met with a look of horror from her friend.

The young Beale's eyes were fixated on the girl sat a mere few centimetres away. Their eyes met for a second. Lauren wished in that instant that she could stare deep into those blue eyes for eternity. Lucy broke the virtual contact and began to pace up and down the quiet capsule.

"I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry." The Branning brunette interrupted the silence, fiddling awkwardly with the charms on the bracelet adorning her right wrist.

Lucy looked out over the stunning city where she lived. She watched tourists piling on to a red, open-top tour bus, eager to see the sights. As the wheel continued to rotate, she looked below to see a river cruise boat make its way under a bridge, disturbing the calm water. It looked so peaceful as it glided along the Thames. The blonde Beale watched as Big Ben chimed twice, signalling 2pm.

"...how?" It was all that the blonde teen could stutter.

"What do you mean, how? I didn't just flick a switch to make myself love you, Luce!" Lauren shot back, a little angrier than intended.

"Is that the only reason you came to see me today? Not because you're my mate but because you want me to confess my undying love for you and snog your face off?" Lucy snapped, unable to cope with the confession.

"What the hell do you take me for?" The brunette Branning was deeply hurt by her friend's harsh comment.

"Well I certainly didn't take you for a lesbian!"

Lucy's sharp tone and cruel words hit Lauren like a slap to the face. She could feel tears welling up in her deep brown eyes, teasing their way through her eyelashes and slowly trickling down her face.

Lucy turned away, biting her lip as she realised how much she'd upset her friend. She stared aimlessly out of the capsule as a swarm of mixed up thoughts overtook her brain. The blonde had absolutely no idea that her best friend felt this way; the thought had never even crossed her mind. Lucy saw Lauren as her closest ally- the one she'd lean on through difficult times, the one she'd spill her secrets to. Not the one she was in love with. Her anger and confusion turned to pity for her friend as she thought how hard it must have been to carry that weight on her shoulders, not to mention how painfully difficult it must have been for her to reveal her true feelings.

"I'm sorry." Lucy spoke quietly and motionlessly, giving Lauren no clue as to how she was feeling.

"So am I." Lauren's small voice quivered as she struggled to speak through the tears. Lucy turned to face her, finding Lauren sat on the wooden bench in the centre of the pod again, a little shocked at just how upset her mate was.

Without words, the blonde Beale took a seat next to Lauren. The brunette didn't look up as her friend moved as she couldn't bear to see the look of horror on her face, which Lauren was certain she'd be met with. To her surprise, Lucy tenderly placed her arm on the distraught girl's bicep just like she had mere minutes before. Lauren flinched slightly at the unexpected contact, meeting her friend's gaze.

Lucy drank in the brunette's features properly, for the first time. She'd never noticed just how effortlessly pretty Lauren was. Her eyes, a gorgeous chocolately colour, matched her long brown locks perfectly. Her pale English rose complexion, which she'd often jokingly mocked in the past, added to her beauty rather than hindered.

The girls continued to look at each other, neither of them wishing to break the virtual contact. Absentmindedly, Lucy's hand moved to Lauren's silky tresses. She carefully twisted a strand of hair round her finger, the way she had so many times in the past, but this time felt difficult. It felt special.

"Lauren, I..."

"Alright then ladies, out you come. Did you enjoy the ride?" The pair were interrupted by the cheery attendant signalling the end of the journey.

The girls stood up almost simultaneously. Lucy straightened her top whilst Lauren hurriedly wiped her tears away and adjusted her hair.

"Great, thanks." The blonde spoke on behalf of both of them as she stepped out of the moving capsule, followed by a slightly flustered looking Lauren who gave the chirpy man a quick smile.

"Glad to hear it, have a nice day, girls!"

The teenagers had already exited the platform, with Lucy a good few metres ahead of her friend, heading down the ramp in silence as they entered the gift shop. The brunette caught up, finding Lucy standing in front of the counter looking up at a row of screens, each screen showing a photo taken of an individual capsule as it neared the end of its cycle. Lauren followed Lucy's eyes towards Screen 4. The picture showed the two girls silently holding their gaze, while the blonde casually twirled her friend's hair. It looked almost romantic, with the light blue sky adorning the background, the bright sun casting rays into the pod and Big Ben decorating the scene beautifully.

Lucy turned to face her friend with a smile, who was still looking up at the screen.

"I'm buying that."


End file.
